Kristin Hannah brings to the life, the period of time known as the Dust Bowl, during the Great Depression, from 1934-40. The severe drought damaged the ecology of the grasslands, causing soil erosion to the plain states, particularly Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, The Dakotas', Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado.The book is based on historical events, but the Author acknowledges, the central character, Elsa Wescott is a culmination of several women who were left by their husbands to struggle and fight for their family's survival during desperate times.
Elsa, tall, gangly, sickly is labelled a 'spinster' by her family. She feels destined for a solitary life in her room with her books. Her parents constant reminder of her dull, flat appearance, drives Elsa for a desperate need from attention from anyone. She meets Rafe Martinelli, as they approach each other, walking down the street. Their clandestine relationship ends with an unwanted pregnancy.
Elsa is dropped off at the door of the Martinelli family home. Forced to 'adopt' her as their son's wife and soon to be, mother of their grandchild, they have no choice but to accept her. Elsa earns their acceptance. Once prosperous, the Martinelli wheat farm, is dry and barren. The hardships the family endures are relentless. Ms. Hannah presents a true, visceral image of desperation, as the family desperarately looks for a 'potato' to eat. As the land literally cracks open, from lack of rain, Elsa must make the choice to remain on the farm or leave for a 'better life in California.'
This has been described as an 'indelible portrait of America and the American dream, and the war between the have and have nots.' It truly brought the Great depression to life for me. The strength and resilence of Elsa and her peserverence through desperate, desperate times, drove me to finish this deeply, depressing novel.
It was a struggle to finish this novel, as I found it to be, the bleakest of bleak, but there were kernels of hope throughout, but, they were rare. I did have to put it down, and return to it, as the heaviness of it all, made it difficult to absorb and continue to read, to finish the book. This is a weighty, heavy, depressing novel, but, I believe it to be a true telling, of a truly desperate period of time.
Elsa is the driving force of this novel and I could not leave her..her family her story..her resilience her thread of a hope...a "penny" she wore around her neck.
"Hope is a coin I carry; an American penny, given to me by a man I came to love."
Other Books by Kristin Hannah:
Comfort & Joy 2020The Great Alone 2019
The Nightingale 2017
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